WRAP aims to halve food and drink emissions by 2030

WRAP has announced the expansion of its Courtauld Commitment, aiming to cut greenhouse emissions by 2030. 

The plan, which has already been signed by over 90 per cent of the UK’s food supply chain, sees 2025 targets on carbon, food waste and water built upon with longer-term goals. 

In a statement, WRAP said that the update is designed to align the sector with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to food waste and water built and takes account of “the newer demands of climate action”.  

The collaboration also seeks to achieve sustainable water management and improve water quality and catchment scale at the 20 most important product and ingredient sourcing areas in the UK and abroad.  

The overall target is that by 2030, 50 per cent of fresh food is sourced from areas with sustainable water management. 

Businesses and industry experts have already pledged to deliver a 20 per cent reduction, on a per-person basis, of value chain emissions between 2015 and 2020.  

The new 2030 target is to halve emissions, against a 2015 baseline. 

As a result, the agreement is estimated to lower UK food waste by 800,000 tonnes lower in 2030 compared to 2025, saving food worth £2,4 billion a year by 2030 and the equivilant of 1.9 billion meals. 

READ MORE: Backing for local food system ‘could create 200,000 jobs and restore nature’ 

WRAP added that the five-year period between 2025 and 2030 will see a total of 2.6 million tonnes of food saved, equating to £8 billion or 6.2 billion meals.  

“I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved under the Courtauld Commitment 2025 during the last five years,” WRAP chief executive Marcus Gover said. 

“But with COP26 fast approaching, the new Courtauld Commitment 2030 has been refreshed to build on this success and meet newer demands of climate action head-on. 

“Climate change is the biggest threat we all face, and fixing food is vital. 

“I believe Courtauld has never been more important as only fundamental change can reset our fragile global food system into a sustainable model that will feed us in the future and cut greenhouse gas emissions towards Net Zero.”  

Defra Environment Minister Rebecca Pow added: “Our food and drink industry have a hugely important role to play in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change and sustainability. 

“The Courtauld agreement has been a great success in bringing organisations together to create a more sustainable industry, and these new, far-reaching goals for 2030 will take this to the next level as we head into COP26.” 

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